Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a 2009 American computer-animated science fiction comedy film loosely based on the children's book of the same name by Judi and Ron Barrett. It was produced by Sony Pictures Animation, and released by Columbia Pictures on September 18, 2009. The film features the voices of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Andy Samberg, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, and Will Forte. It was written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. It was a critical and commercial success, earning $243 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million. A sequel, ''Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2'', was released on September 27, 2013. History The film premiered in Los Angeles on September 12, 2009, and was released in the United States on September 18, 2009 by Sony Pictures Releasing under its Columbia Pictureslabel. It received critical acclaim and earned over $243 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million.4 The film has since been expanded into a franchise, with a sequel, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, released on September 27, 2013 and an animated television series based on the film premiering on Cartoon Network on February 20, 2017. Cast * Bill Hader as Flint Lockwood, a young inventor and Sam's love interest. Max Neuwirth voices his younger self. * Anna Faris as Sam Sparks, a weather intern from New York City and Flint's love interest. * Neil Patrick Harris as Steve, Flint's pet monkey who can communicate through a speak and spell thought-translating device. * James Caan as Tim Lockwood, Flint's technophobic father. * Bruce Campbell as Mayor Shelbourne, the cruel mayor of Swallow Falls. Shelbourne is unhappy with his size in the beginning, but when food falls from the sky, he eats a lot of the food, and later becomes obese. * Andy Samberg as Brent "Baby Brent" McHale, an infamous celebrity mascot of Baby Brent's Sardines and Flint's school rival. * Mr. T as Officer Earl Devereaux, the town's athletic cop. * Bobb'e J. Thompson as Cal Devereaux, Earl's son. * Benjamin Bratt as Manny, Sam's Guatemalancameraman and former doctor, comedian, and pilot. * Al Roker as Patrick Patrickson, the anchorman of the weather station. * Lauren Graham as Fran Lockwood, Flint's mother who always believed in her son. * Will Forte as Joe Towne, a redneck citizen of Chewandswallow who appears on numerous occasions throughout the film. * Angela Shelton as Regina Devereaux, Earl's wife Production On May 9, 2003, a year after establishment, Sony Pictures Animation announced its first animated slate, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, a film adaptation of the book of the same name. The Brizzi brothers were brought to direct the film, with Wayne Rice adapting the screenplay.5 In 2006, it was reported that the film had been helmed by new directors and writers, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.6 After a year working on the script, they were fired for story issues and replaced with new writers, who after a year were also fired. Lord and Miller were then re-hired in 2006. The two completely redid the script, this time with the creative input of their crew. The new draft had the protagonist as a failed inventor who wanted to prove himself to his town. The two were almost fired again after Amy Pascal, head of Sony, criticized the film for a lack of story. Although the film succeeded on the comedic front in the animatic stage, Pascal cited the lack of an anchoring relationship in the film as a failure in the story telling. Unable to create new characters and environments to suit the new story demands, the two elevated the character of the tackle shop extra to be the protagonist's father, thereby creating the relationship Pascal had requested. The pair's experience on Cloudytaught them two valuable lessons: the power of creative collaboration and the importance of emotion in a story.7 On September 18, 2008, Variety announced that Bill Hader and Anna Faris had signed on to voice the two lead characters, with James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Andy Samberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Benjamin Bratt, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, and Will Forte also in the voice cast.8 Lord and Miller said later that year that it would be a homage to, and a parody of, disaster films such as Twister, Armageddon, The Core, and The Day After Tomorrow.9 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the second film (after Monster House) made using animation rendering software Arnold.10 Category:Columbia Pictures films Category:Sony Pictures Entertainment Films Category:Animated films Category:Sony Pictures Animation Films Category:Computer animation Category:Films based on books